An in-depth analysis of media coverage and sentiment during President Trump’s first 100 days in office has revealed the cabinet members who have had the greatest influence on policy decisions and garnered the most international attention, with an unlikely figure attracting the most negative coverage during this period.
CARMA, a media intelligence and reputation specialist, reviewed more than 156,000 articles about President Trump’s presidency from 20 January to 28 April, published in both North America and UK.
The most divisive members of the administration
While Elon Musk has – perhaps, unsurprisingly – emerged as one of the most prominent members of President Trump’s team, appearing in more than a quarter of media coverage (26%), Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) have been revealed as the most contentious members of the cabinet.
Almost a third (30%) of media coverage referencing these three members of the cabinet was negative, with three notable spikes in reporting during the 100 days.
RFK was a major driver of negative coverage around the presidency. Firstly, on 29 January, RFK took part in his first confirmation hearing, with views on the pandemic and vaccination resulting in 22% of negative coverage. Then, on 13 February, he was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services. A third peak came over 25–26 March with reports of Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s involvement in the leaked group chat that shared information about air strikes against Yemen. This generated headlines globally (777 in total), of which 51% were negative.
However, despite being a less public facing member of the administration, it was Attorney General, Pam Bondi that attracted the most negative sentiment in the media, on both sides of the Atlantic – 49% in UK and 41% in North America. The biggest driver came in April from her decision to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador.
This move sparked widespread negative sentiment in the press due to concerns over its perceived lack of due process, the humanitarian implications and the broader message it sent about immigration enforcement priorities: criticism that negatively impacted Pam Bondi’s reputation, as many viewed her office’s role in the case as emblematic of a hardline and politically motivated approach to immigration. Across the 475 stories mentioning Abrego Garcia, 48% (227) had a negative sentiment, and 47% had a neutral sentiment. Meanwhile only 5% (25 articles) had a positive sentiment.
Russia/Ukraine spokesperson
When it comes to one of the world’s most pressing matters – Ukraine – one person took the lead in the media. On this topic, there were over 68,000 mentions of Elon Musk across the media. Meanwhile, J.D. Vance followed up with over 42,000 mentions in the same pool of media.
Sam Greenslade, Managing Director, Commercial – North America & Europe at CARMA, said, “It goes without saying certain Trump administration figures dominate headlines more than others.
“However, this intense first 100-day period underscores how specific controversies around healthcare, defense, and immigration are driving overall media sentiment. Pam Bondi, in particular, has faced intense national criticism over her office’s role in Kilmar Abrigo Garcia’s deportation, which many have cited as a stark example of a politically motivated, uncompromising immigration position that appeared to sideline due process and basic humanitarian considerations.
“Watching how the administration navigates these narratives moving forward will be crucial for assessing long-term policy impact and public perception.”
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